Envelop-blank-punching machine.



W. S. METCALFE.

ENVELOP BLANK PUNGHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13,1906.

908, 1 1 6. Patented Dec. 29. 1908.

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ENVELOP BLANK PUNGHING MACHINE.

APPLHJATIOEI FILED JULY 18, 1906 Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

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BNVBLOP BLANK PUNCHING MACHINE APPLIUATION FILED JULY 13, 190s 908, 1 1 6, Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

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WILLIAM S. METGALFE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATES ENVELOPE COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD. MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

ENVELOP-BLANK-PUNGHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 13, 19536.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Serial No. 326,055.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVrLLiAM S. Mnroailrn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Envelop-Blank-Punohing Machines, of which. the following is a specification accompanied by drawings, forming a part of the same, in which- Figure 1 represents a plan view of a nun chine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig 3 is a rear. elevation. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the plane of the broken line -l--'l, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a. detached view of the reciprocating punch and blank holding mechanism. Fig. 6 is a detached view, partly in section, of the punch, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of one of the gri ping jaws and tripping lever.

t imilar reference letters and figures refer to similar parts in the ditferent views.

My present invention relates to a machine for forming an opening in the body portion of an envelop blank before the latter is folded in order to disclose an address placed upon an inclosure in the completed envelop, and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter dcscri bed and specifically pointed out in the annexed claims, by which the operation of forming the opening in the envelo blank can be exeditiously. cheaply and accurately pcrormed.

The machine embodying my ncscnt iny vention comprises means for feet ing: an envelop blank to the operation of the machine. accurately registering the blank to determine the position of the opening in the body pol tion of the blank. forming an opening, in. the blank by means of a reciprocating punch and die, controlling the movement of the envelop blank past the punchinp mechanism and assembling the punched blanks preparatory to their removal to an envelop making machine.

The envelop blanks to be operated upon having been cut into proper s iape to form an envelop when folded, are presented to the machine in a pile or stack each support d upon a feed table 3, to which an intermittent upward motion is given by means of suitable feeding mechanism. such as that now commonly employed in envelop machines, but not described hcrem in detail, as it forms no part of my present Invention.

One edge of the up ermost blank in the pile l. is periodicallv lifted, as shown at 3, Fig. 4, by means o a reciprocating tubular suction plunger 4, connected by a flexible tube 5 wlth an air pump 6, shown at the bottom of Fig. 2. A reciprocating motion is given to the suction plunger 4 by means of an eccentric 7 on the main driving shaft 8, said eccentric being connected by a rod 9 and radial arm 10 with a rocking shaft 11, upon which is carried. an arm 12 connected by a link 13 with a sliding head 14, carrying the plunger 4, which itself is capable of a sliding vertical movement within the head 14 against the tension of a spiral spring 15 which allows the plunger 4 to exert a yielding pres sure upon the envelo blank at the end of its downward stroke when a vacuum is produccd within the, plunger by means of the air pum blan to adhere to the plunger and be lifted with it at its next it award movement. Vv'lien the uppermost blan has been lifted, into position shown at 3, Fig. 4, a pair of gripping;

jaws consisting of a stationary jaw 16 and a movable jaw 1.7 are advanced to inclose the raised edge of the envelop blank when the movable jaw is released and made to close. upon the envelop blank as shown in Fig. 4 The grip ling jaws 16 and 17 are supported upon a iorizontally reciprocating carriage comprising the cross bars 18 and 19. The stationary aw 16 is attached to the cross bar 18 and the movable jaw 17 is clamped upon a rocking shaft 20 journaled in stands 2] 21, mounted upon the reciprocating carriage. The shaft 20 is provided with a torsional s wing 32, the tension. of which applied to t ie shaft 211 to close the movable jaw 17 upon the stationary jaw 16. Claniped upon one end of the shaft 21) is an arm .33 provided with a cam roll 24, and projecting from the rear side of the arm 23 is a wand 25 adapted. to be engaged by the hooked end 26 of a tripping lever 27 pivoted on a stand 12R and having its opposite end 29 connected by a spiral spring 30 with the frame of the carriage.

The tripping lever 1 T carries a cam roll 31 arranged to run upon an inclined cam trark 32 in order to rock the tripping lever against the tension of the spring 30 and release the pawl 25 from the hooked end 26 of the tripping lever to allow the tension of the torsional spring: 2'2 to rock the lever 27 and close the movable jaw 17 upon the fixed jaw 6, causing the edge of the envelop" 16, and seize the raised edge of the envelop tached to the end blank eating movement is then given to the carriage by means of an eccentric 33 on the main driving shaft 8, said eccentric being connected with the carriage by means of a link 34, rocking lever 35, and link 36, which is pivotally connected with a lug 37 on the under side of the cross bar 18. By this rearward reciprocation of the carriage the en vclop blank is drawn over the to of a pair of supporting strips 38 and beneat rai s 39 into an intermediate position between the feed table and the punching die, as represented by the envelop blank 40, Fig. 1, w on the carriage is returned to seize the next succeeding blank held upon the feed table. This reciprocation of the carriage com letes the first movement of the envelop blan and deposits it in the position of the blank 40, Fig. 1, immediately at the rear of a pair of engaging pawls 41 pivoted to the sides of the horizontal rails 39 which check the reverse movement of the envelop blank as the carriage again moves forward to seize the next succeeding blank held on the feed table 2. At the next reciprocating movement of the table the blank 40 is engaged by a pair of dogs 42 adjustably held upon the cross bar 18 of the carriage and moved from the second position to the third position, as shown by the blank 43, Fig. 1, and in proper position between a reciprocating punch 44 and a die 45 having an o ening 46 corresponding 1n sha e and sun with the desired ho e 47 shown in t c body of the envelop blank 48, Fig. 1,.

said die 45 being accurately fitted to the reciprorating punch 44. The reciprocating punch is adjustably attached to a vertically reciprocating gate 49 connected at itsn )er end by a link 50, arms 51 and 52, rocnn open a shaft 53, and an eccentric rod 54 witv an eccentric 55 on the main driving shaft 8. The reciprocating punch 44 is incloscd at its cutting end by a yieldin stripping sleeve 56 supported upon pins 57 riding in the gate 49 and pressed downward by the sleeve 56 to exert a yielding pressure upon the u per surface of the envelop blank 43 and hold it firmly against the upper surface of the die 45. Journaled upon one side of the upright frame 59 which supports the sliding ate 49 is a rocking shaft 60 carrying a air 0 swinging arms 61 to the free ends of w iich are attached the angular gage plates.

62. Attached to the rocking shaft 60 is an arm 63 connected by a spiral spring 64 to the upright frame 59, with the tension of the spring applied to rock the shaft 60 and depress the free ends of the swinging arms 61, in order to carry the gage plates 62 down upon the die 45 in position to contact with the advancing edge of the envelop blank and serve as stops to secure the accurate registration of the blank beneath the punch 44. At

as represented in Fig. 4. A reciprohorizontal.

springs 58 to cause of the rocking shaft 60 is a crank arm 63 which rests upon the cam bar 64. The cam bar' 64 is supported by brackets 65, 65, attached to the cross bars 18 and 19 of the carriage, causing the cam bar to be moved beneath the crank'arm 63 at the reciprocation of the carriage in order to periodically raise and lower the gage plates 62. In the third position of the envelop blank, shown at 43, Fig. I, the hole 47 is punched, and as the punch rises, the piece cut from the envelop blank is removed from the clamping sleeve 56 by a clearing pin 66 carried by the reciprocating punch. After the completion of the punching operation, the. blank in position 43 is again seized by a gripping mechanism, consisting of a stationary aw 67 and a movable jaw 68, the formerbeing attached to the cross bar 19 and the latter carried upon a rockin shaft 69, which is provided with a torsiona spring in order to close the 'movable jaw 68 upon the stationary jaw 67. The rocking shaft 69 also carries at one end an arm 71 provided with a cam roll 72 and a pawl 73, adapted to be engaged by the notched end 74 of a tripplng lever 75, pivoted on a opposite end 78 which rides upon a cam surface 79 to rock the lever a ainst the tension of the spring 77 and re ease the pawl 73 to allow the gripping jaws to close. The gri liping mechanism mounted upon the rec mg shaft 69 and comprising the tr1pping ever 75 is substantially llKe the gripping mechanism previously described as carried upon the rocking shaft 20. As. the carriage moves to the right, Fig, 2. the cam roll 24 is brought into contact with a stop 80 which rocks the shaft 20. carrying the awl 25 into position to be engaged I) the hook 26 of the tripping lever 27, Whic opens the gripping jaw 17 and holds it open until the cam roll 31, riding upon the cam track 32, releases the awl and allows the jaws to close. Simi arly the rearward movement of the carriage will carry the cam roll 72 against a stop 81 which rocks the shaft 69 and carries the pawl 73 into position to be engaged by the notched end 74 of the tripping lever75, thereby oiening the jaw 68 and holding it open unti the reverse movement of the carriage has been completed. By the reciprocating motion of the carriage the punched envelop blank is carried from osition 43 to position 48 where it is engage b r a pair of pivoted pawls 82, 82, pivoted to t e sldes of the rails 39. The pawls 82 prevent the return movement of th the carriage is reversed, leaving the blank in the position 48 with its rear edge engaged by a pair of dogs 83 adjustably attached to the cross bar 19 of the carriage. At the envelop blank as scans next succeeding rearward movement of the carriage the dogs carry the punched envelop blank beyond the su iporting plates 38 and against the upwardly curved end 85 of a bar 84 which turns the cnvclo downward and-delivers it upon a stack 86 supported upon a receiving table 87. In the stack 86 the envelop blanks are retained betueen stakes 88 and as the envelop is delivered to the stack its opening 47 passes over the curved guide rods 89.

As the envelop blanks pass over the opening 46 in the die 45 the advancing edge of the envelop blank is prevented from drooping and engaging the edge of the opening 46 in the die by means of a guard plate 90, which is carried upon the upper end of a swinging lever 91 having a rocking motion on a shaft 92. The guard plate 90 is brought over the opening 4t: in the position shown in Fig. 4-, by the tension of a spring 93 connecting the swinging lever 91 with the framework of he machine, and the motion of the guard plate 90 is reversed by means of a cam 94 carried oh the main driving shaft 8, said cam actuating the swingin lever by means of a link 95 and cam rel 96.

In the operation of the machine the guard plate 90 is given two movements over the opening 46 during the passage of each envelop blank over the o iening. 'lhe first movement is to prevent the advancing tip 96 of the envelop blank, Fig. 1, from striking the edge of the opening, and the second movement is to prevent the edge 97 of the punched hole 47 from striking the edge of the opening. The punch 44 rests upon a cross beam 98 which is provided with a central opening 99 to allow the pieces out from the envelop blanks to pass downward.

The operation of the m achine is as follows A stack of envelop blanks l are fed to the machine on the feed table 2, one edge of the topmost blank is raised 1) the suction plunger 4 and seized by the lust set of gripping jaws to carry the envelo into posi tion of the blank 40, Fig. 1. lb this. osition its reverse movement is prevcntei b the awls 41 as the earria e is reverse At t e next movement of t to carriage the dogs 42 carry the blank into the position of the blank 43 with its ad'vancin edge against the angular gage plates 62. iy the release of the envelop by the first gripping jaws and its subsequent movement by the dogs 42 against the gage plates 62 the envelop is allowed to square itself and he brought into perfect registration with the reciprocating punch 44 which descends to cut 'the hole 47. From this third osition of the. envelop blank it is carried orward by the second pair of gripping jaws into the fourth position, or that of the envelop blank 48,

and from this position it is moved by the dogs 83 into the fifth position upon the stack 86, each of the blanks when completed being retained between the stakes 88 and strung upon the curved guide rods 89. At each passage of an envelop blank over the die 45 a guard plate 90 is swung over the opening 46 twice, once to lift the advancing tip 96 of the envelop blank, and the second to lift the advancing edge 97 of the hole in the blank and prevent their engagement with the die. Between these two movements of the guard date 99 and while it is removed from the tie by the action of the cam 94 the punch 44 descends carrying the strip-- ping sleeve 56 against the envelop blank to iold it 'lirmly upon the upper surface of the die while the continued moveinent of the punch 44 cuts a piece from the body portion of the envelop blank to form the hole 47. During the movement of the envelop blanks a rising and falling motion is imartod to the gage plates 62 to bring them into contact with the die at the proper period to register the blank which is being punched, and this is effected by means of the traveling cam bar 64 as it passes beneath the crank arm 63. During the operation of the machine, therefore, each envelop blank makes four successive movements and occupies five se iarate positions, as followsz- First, upon the feed table 2; second, the position of blank 40 where it has been released from the gri )ping jaws and is allowed to be straightene and brought into registration for the o eration of punching; third, the position 0 blank 43 with its advancing edge held by the angular ga e plates 62 and its rear edge engaged by t e dogs 42; fourth, in the position of blank 48 where it is again released from the second pair of gripping jaws and is engaged b the delivery dogs 83, and fifth, in the stac 86.

I claim,

1 In a machine of the character described, the combination of a supporting table for a pile of envelop blanks, means for raising the edge of the uppermost blank in the pile, a pair of gripping jaws for seizing the raised edge of the blank, means for moving said vjaws to carry the blank into its second position, means for releasing the jaws, means for preventing the return 0 the envelop blank, dogs for pushing the rear edge of the blank and. moving it into. its third position, means for registering the blank, means for punching the blank, and means for delivering the punched blank into a stack, and means for registering the blanks in the stack.

2. In a machine of the character described, a support for a pile of envelop blanks, means i or feeding a blank to a punching mechanism, a punching mechanism, a pair of pushing dogs for engaging one edge of the blank, a

n a machine of the character described,

a support for an envelop blank as it is pro-- senter to the machine, a reciprocating carriage, gripping jaws on said carriage, means for actuatm said jaws to seize and release an envelop lank, means for checking the reverse movement of the blank, dogs on said carria e for continuing the movement of the blan to the punching mechanism, a unching mechanism, a pair of ga e lates or engaging the advancing edge 0 t e lank, and means for moving the gage plates out of the path of the envelo 4. In a machine of t e character dc scribed, a support for an envelop blank. as it is'presented to the machine, means for-teeding' the blank to a punching mechanism, a punching mechanism, consisting of a die and a reci rocating punch, and a reciprocating plate: or lifting t e blank above the opening 1n the die during the m'ovementof the blank. 5, 'In a machine of the character described, a on port for an envelop blank, a punching mec anism comprisin areciprocating unch ands die, means for ceding said blan over said die, a movable guard late and means for interposing said guard plate between the blank and the opening in said die durin the feeding of the blank over said die, an means for withdrawing said guard plate as said unch descends: r

6. n amachine of the character described, the combination with a punching mechanism, consisting of a reciprocating unch and a die, of means for moving an enve ope blank between the punch and die re aratory to unching the blank, a nerd plate, means or interposing the guar plate'between the die and the advancing edge of the blank during the movement of the blank, means for wlthdrawin the guard plate, means for reciprocating t e punch, means for again inter osing said guard plate between the blanli and the opening in the (lie, and means for withdrawing the blank from the punching mechanism.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a punching mechanism for punching a hole in the body of an envelop blank, 'and consisting of a reci rocating punch and a die, of a curved guarr plate, a swinging arm by which said uard plate is moved in the arc of a circ e, means for moving a blank between the punch and die, means for withdrawing the blank, and means for imparting a double swinging movement to said guard plate at each movement of an envelop blank over the die.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a punching mechanism consisting of a reciprocating punch and a die, of a curved guard plate, and means for periodically moving said guard plate over a portion 01' said die with its curved end entering the opening in the die.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a support for an envelop blank as it is presented to the machine, and a reci rocating carriage, of gripping mechanism licld on said carriage,

and consisting of a stationary jaw, a movable jaw, a spring to close said movable jaw, means for opening the jaw to release the blank, a tripping lever for. holding the movable jaw 0 en, and means for actuating said tri ping ever to allow the movable jaw toc ose.

10. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination of means for supporting an envelop blank, means for feet ing said blank to a punching mechanism, means for registering said blank with the punchin mechanism, said feeding means arrange( to etc the feeding movement as soon as said bank is brought into said registration, means for punching a hole in said blank, means for withdrawing said blank from said punching mechanism, and means for assembling the punched blanks.

1]. In a machine of the character described, the combination of the following instrumentalities acting in the sequence named, means for supporting an envelopblank, means for presenting the blank to gripping mechanism, means for moving the gripping -mechanism, means for releasing the blank from the gripping mechanism, means for squarin the blank with its line of movement an registering it with a punching mechanism, means for mnching a hole in the blank, means for withdrawing the blank from the punching mechanism, and means for assembling the punched blanks.

12. In a machine of the character dcscribed, the combination with feedingand punching mechanism, of means for assemling the punched envelope and. comprising arswinging support for the punched envel ops, a pair of curved guide rods adapted to enter t e holes in the envelops, and stakes for registering the envelops as they are assembled.

13. In a machine of the character described, thecombination of means for supporting an envelop blank, reciprocating means for feeding said blank to a punchin mechanism, a stop arranged to register sai blank with said pmiching mmzhanism, means for withdrawing said blank from said punching mechanism, and means for assembling said blanks.

Dated this 10th day of July 1906. WILLIAM S. METQALFF.

Witnesses:

R. C. WILLIAMS, PENELOPE COMBERBACH. 

